Truck body construction for separate handling of re-cyclable refuse

• US 5,035,564 A
• Filed: 08/08/1989
• Issued: 07/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tom T. Matsumoto
• Original Assignee: Tom T. Matsumoto
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tom T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenza, Joseph E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dixon, Keith L.
• Application Number:
  US07/390,774
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 414/403, 414/404, 414/406, 414/409, 414/486, 414/487, 414/537, 414/512, 296/184, 298/7, 298/23 R
• US Class Current: 414/409
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/001 for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. vehicles with several compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/08 Platform elevators or hoists with guides or runways for raising or tipping receptacles pivotable guides or runways B65F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/60 Glass recycling

Abstract

A truck body has at least one vertical, longitudinal divider forming two compartments. Separate chutes are located on the top of the body, one communicating with each compartment so that one particular type of refuse (e.g., paper, aluminum cans and glass) may be dumped into a specific chute to fall by gravity into a compartment. The body may be tilted to shift all refuse to the rear. Each type refuse is discharged through a separate door at the rear. Bins are lifted vertically by hydraulic means to the top of the body and then tilted to dump into chutes. The bins are tucked under the body during transportation to reduce overall width. Further, the bins fan outward to facilitate loading. Wheeled carts filled with refuse may be hooked to the upper edges of the bins so that the carts and bins may be tilted at the upper end of their travel to dump into the chutes.

Claims

1. A truck for separate handling or segregated refuse comprising

a body having a bottom, a first side, a second side opposite said first side, a front, a rear, and a top,

at least one vertical, longitudinal partition running through said body from said front toward said rear dividing said body into first and second longitudinal compartments spaced laterally relative to each other,

said top having a first and a second opening, said openings being spaced longitudinally relative to each other,

first and second chute-forming means for said first and second openings, respectively, said chute-forming means being spaced longitudinally relative to each other,

a first chute bottom for said first chute-forming means slanting laterally from said first side downwardly into said first compartment, said first chute-forming means having no communication with said second compartment,

a second chute bottom for said second chute-forming means slanting laterally from said first side downwardly into said second compartment, said second chute-forming means having no communication with said first compartment,

and discharge means adjacent said rear for discharging said compartments separately.

2. A truck according to claim 1 which further comprises for at least one said opening a retractable lid for selectively closing off said opening and retraction means for advancing and retracting said lid to close and open said opening.

3. A truck according to claim 1 which further comprises a chassis, means pivotally mounting said body to said chassis about a horizontal transverse pivot axis adjacent said back and means for tilting said body about said pivot axis.

4. A truck according to claim 3 in which said discharge means for the other said compartment comprises a vertically reciprocable gate in one said side adjacent said rear and means for opening said gate.

5. A truck according to claim 4 in which said partition angles outward toward the rear of said gate to direct refuse sliding backward in said one compartment out said gate when said body is tilted.

6. A truck according to claim 4 which further comprises third chute forming means on the exterior of said body to direct refuse discharged from said gate away from said truck.

7. A truck according to claim 4 in which said discharge means for the other said compartment comprises a vertically hinged door in said back.

8. A truck according to claim 1 in which said chute forming means extends above said top.

9. A truck according to claim 1 which further comprises a hoist located on one said side aligned with said chute-forming means, said hoist comprising

a bin divided by at least one bin partition into bin compartments corresponding to said openings and

lift means for lifting said bin from ground level to the top of said one side and then tilting said bin inwardly to dump refuse in each said bin compartment into one of said openings.

10. A truck according to claim 9 for use with a cart comprising cooperating detachable latch means on said bin and said cart to secure the outside of said cart to said bin whereby when said bin is lifted and tilted said cart is lifted and tilted.

11. A truck according to claim 1 in which said first chute-forming means further comprises a third chute bottom slanting laterally from said second side downwardly into said first compartment and said second chute-forming means further comprises a fourth chute bottom slanting laterally from said second side downwardly into said second compartment,

whereby said body may be loaded from either side.

12. A truck for separate handling of segregated refuse comprising

a body having a bottom, sides, front, rear, and top,

at least one vertical, longitudinal partition running through said body from said front toward the rear dividing said body into at least two longitudinal compartments,

said top having separate openings, each communicating with one said compartment,

chute-forming means for each said opening having a chute bottom slanted from one said side toward one said opening,

and discharge means adjacent said rear for discharging said compartments separately,

said openings being located at the forward end of said top, a first said opening being spaced ahead of a second said opening and said chute-forming means being divided into at least two sections by a transverse chute partition,

a hoist located on one said side aligned with said chute-forming means, said hoist comprising

a bin divided by at least one bin partition into bin compartments corresponding to said openings and

lift means for lifting said bin from ground level to the top of said one side and then tilting said bin inwardly to dump refuse in each said bin compartment into one of said openings,

said means for lifting comprising guide means extending from said top toward said bottom and then inwardly under said body, and follower means on said bin engaging said guide means so that when said bin is in lowered position it is tucked under said body.

13. A truck according to claim 12 in which said bin comprises a bin back, a bin bottom, bin ends, and a bin front hinged to the lower outer edge of said bottom, whereby said front may be pivotted outward to open said bin.

14. A truck according to claim 13 in which said bin has end leaves parallel and slidable relative to said bin ends, said end leaves being fixed to said bin front, said end leaves contacting said bin ends and closing off the gap between said bin end and said bin front when said front is pivotted outward.

15. A truck according to claim 14 which further comprises second leaves contacting said end leaves and pivotted to the upper outer edge of said bin ends and means for pivoting said second leaves outward when said end leaves are pivotted outward.

16. A truck according to claim 15 which further comprises second leaves contacting said end leaves and pivotted to the upper outer edge of said bin ends and means for pivoting said second leaves outward when said end leaves are pivotted outward.

17. A truck according to claim 12 which further comprises pivot means pivoting said bin relative to said guide means whereby when said lift means lifts said bin to the top of said truck said bin may be pivotted inward to drop the contents of said bin into said chute-forming means.

18. A truck according to claim 17 which further comprises cooperating means on said bin and said guide means to secure said bin against outward pivotal movement of said bin relative to said pivot means when said bin is in lowered position.

19. A truck according to claim 17 which further comprises dump means to pivot said bin inwardly about said pivot means.

20. A refuse truck comprising a body having a bottom, sides, front, rear and top, said top having an opening and

a hoist located on one side aligned with said opening, said hoist comprising

a bin,

lift means for lifting said bin from ground level to adjacent said top and then tilting said bin inwardly to dump refuse into said opening, said lift means comprising guide means for said bin extending from said top to adjacent said bottom and then inwardly under said bottom and follower means on said bin engaging said guide means so that said bin is tucked under said body when in fully lowered position.

21. A truck according to claim 20 in which said guide means comprises opposed inward facing channels and said follower means comprises a frame having rollers fitting into said channels, said bin being carried by said frame.

22. A truck according to claim 21 which further comprises a pivot shaft on said frame, said bin being fixed to said pivot shaft and dump means between said frame and said pivot shaft to oscillate said pivot shaft about its axis and thereby tilt said bin relative to said frame.

23. A truck according to claim 22 which further comprises a cooperating means on said bin and said guide means to secure said bin against outward pivotal movement of said bin relative to said pivot means when said bin is in lowered position.

24. A truck according to claim 20 in which said hoist further comprises a vertical cylinder having a rod, a crosshead connected to said rod mounted on said side for vertical reciprocation and a chain drive from said crosshead to said frame.

25. A truck according to claim 20 in which said bin comprises a bin back, a bin bottom, bin ends, and a bin front hinged to the lower outer edge of said bottom, whereby said front may be pivotted outward to open said bin.

26. A truck according to claim 25 in which said bin has end leaves parallel and slidable relative to said bin ends, said end leaves being fixed to said bin front, said end leaves contacting said bin ends and closing off the gap between said bin end and said bin front when said front is pivotted outward.

27. A truck according to claim 20 for use with a cart comprising cooperating means on said bin and said cart to secure said cart to said bin whereby when said bin is lifted and tilted said cart is lifted and tilted.